While a massive polio drive is underway in Balochistan, the two main federal hospitals are denying the vital oral vaccine to masses that visit PIMS and Polyclinic, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The parents of children who visited PIMS told Pakistan Today that they brought their kids to the hospital so that they can get OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine). However, the staff at the counter told them that the hospital is out of vaccine at the moment and that they better come back after a few days. When they agitated and demanded to see high-ups of the hospital they were told curtly that they are not available at the moment and they should come some other day. Some parents claimed that they noticed preferential treatment being given to a selected few.
The Polyclinic hospital is also practicing this discrimination.
Sources told Pakistan Today that there is a shortage of polio vaccine currently in Islamabad and in order to balance things out the general public has been denied the OPV while the limited stock is shelved away for the privileged.
“The government is spending millions of rupees advertising the anti-polio campaign while in the main hospital of Islamabad, PIMS, there is a shortage of polio vaccine. I request the rulers and health minister to take prompt action in this regard and make sure that polio vaccine is available for all,” said Abdul Qarim, a man who had brought his daughter for the vaccine but left for home without it being administered.
PIMS spokesperson Dr Ayesha was not available for a comment despite repeated attempts.
